residence permit

A 4-year-old girl brought to the Netherlands in 2016 will not be deported to Liberia. Her lawyer told RTL Nieuws that the young girl was approved for a residence permit.

Now living in Waddinxveen, Dekontee "Deedee" Elisha Grigsby was originally born in England. Custody was given to her great-grandmother, a Dutch national, with her mother unable to provide care. After her birth, the girl was brought to Liberia, where the family has roots.

Last year 29,790 people sought asylum in the Netherlands last year, compared to 16,477 asylum seekers in 2013. This is the largest number of asylum seekers looking for help in the Netherlands in a decade.

The so-called 'child pardon' has given 675 young asylum seekers residence permits. This regulation also allows 775 family members to stay in The Netherlands. This is stated in the yearly report from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which Trouw has access to.

People, staying in the Netherlands without nationality, should be entitled to a residence permit. Obstacles to naturalization as a Dutch should be eliminated and stateless children, born in the Netherlands, should more easily be entitled to claim Dutch citizenship.